【英語ブログ】 Best Times to Use Figurative Language in the Workplace

Figurative language is a flavor we can use to amplify our communication effectiveness. It often gives a different meaning or intention beyond the way that a word or phrase is typically used. In the business world, it can be used as a way to provide clarity and better engage your listeners, ushering them through your speech with a more creative tone.

Business author H. Herrera-Soler notes that “The judicious use of metaphoric expression has played a major role in establishing and transmitting economic concepts down through the ages, be they Adam Smiths “Invisible Hand” or Jevon’s “Final Degree of Utility.”

Indeed, some form of the big five (metaphors, similes, personification, hyperbole, or symbolism) has been the building blocks of how we communicate the action of commerce. It would be impossible to separate the two things. So learning how to use figurative language in the workplace will be to your advantage. Let’s talk about when to whip it out for maximum effect.

When giving presentations

Let’s be real, a presentation in the business world might as well be called a performance. It’s like advertising for our best ideas. This is a ripe situation to use figurative language. In a 2013 Journal of Consumer Research study by Ann Kronrod and Shai Danziger, they found that “The goal of figurative language in advertising is to create a positive impression of a product or service.”

So figurative language can be used to relate whatever you are talking about with positive and familiar images. Using a metaphor or simile will give your listeners a great comparison to latch onto. Is your new line of business going to make lots of profit to shore up your company’s main activities? Go ahead and call it a ‘cash cow’. No one will be mad. In fact, they may fully see where you are going with your presentation before you even get there.

When explaining or delegating tasks

It is important for leaders in the workplace to put plans into action. This is one of the essential activities of any business and relies on clear communication from the top down. It is also the perfect place for figurative language. Using figurative language can help the person to whom you're explaining the task better understand. For example, you could tell a team member that you have a relationship "as old as the hills" with the person who will be coming in to view this presentation, so you want to impress them. This will indicate that the person has a lengthy relationship with you and the presentation is of the utmost importance.

When proposing a new idea

When you're proposing an idea, figurative language can be a great way to make it pop and make that idea sparkle in your audience’s mind. In his classic paper on the functions of metaphor, linguist Andrew Ortony said that “Metaphors are used to provide concise ways of stating ideas that would be lengthy or awkward to formulate in literal terms and to add vividness or intensity to a message.”

You can say that your new idea is “groundbreaking” because you're introducing a new social media growth strategy that targets people's interests "like a heat-seeking missile." You could also use similes to make it easier to understand and more appealing. Saying that you've been watching your social media numbers slowly increase like "watching grass grow" will give your audience a stark impression of what the activity feels like. It will make your idea seem more authentic.

When complaining/ giving negative feedback

Life is beautiful when things run smoothly at work. This might as well be a fairytale wish though because business is not an easy task. On a daily basis, we troubleshoot situations and find solutions for obstacles in our way. This means that it is good to have the language to accurately and clearly describe problems and issues. Otherwise, our colleagues may not fully understand what we are dealing with, or how to help during time-sensitive operations.

Figurative language such as metaphors and similes help with efficiency when it comes to giving negative feedback in crunch time or in general. So if you have a level of approval from management that is taking too long to reach you, you can describe it as a “bottleneck” to let the right people know that it is hindering workflow.

When giving positive feedback/ praise

When people feel valued at work, their motivation and production usually rises. It’s great for business. One of the easiest ways to do this is to give praise and recognition for good work with positive feedback. Who doesn’t like a compliment?

A great way to do this is with figurative speech. Metaphors can be used to describe subjective (or individual) feelings. That means that they give listeners insight into people’s innermost feelings when used and it’s appropriate for a business-like atmosphere. So rather than jumping up and down and shouting your approval, even when you feel this way on the inside, using a metaphor is a great way to let a team member know that you strongly approve of their work. Tell them they just “knocked it out of the park” after they win a gigantic new account. It will create goodwill amongst co-workers and make your workplace that much nicer to be a part of.

Written by Zia Holder
SparkDojoにてトレーナー、そしてマーケティング戦略担当を務める。トレーナーとして外資系やスタートアップ等、様々な業界のプロフェッショナルそして経営層を担当し、日々プレゼンテーション、リーダーシップ、ソーシャルメディアライティング、セルフブランディング等、英語でのコミュニケーションスキルを幅広く教える。

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Sources:

Ortony, Andrew. Why metaphors are necessary and not just nice. Educational Theory, 25, 45–53. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1741-5446.1975.tb00666.x

Fussell & Moss. Figurative Language in Emotional Communication. http://sfussell.hci.cornell.edu/pubs/Manuscripts/Fussell%26Moss.pdf

Ann Kronrod and Shai Danziger. Journal of Consumer Research, Volume 40, Issue 4, 1 December 2013, Pages 726–739, https://doi.org/10.1086/671998

Honesto Herrera-Soler. Metaphor and Mills: Figurative Language in Business and Economics.. June 2012. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Metaphor-and-mills-%3A-figurative-language-in-and-Herrera-Soler-White/35a7796d565be692b2e98fdf5a7f97ea70c3ddad

Jendrich Elzbieta. Metaphors in Business Communication. https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/metaphors-in-business-communication